The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-04-01
POPULAR SCIENCE.

| Professor ". Mattieu Williams main
tain that the tidal waves, rushes of thu
sea, and other phenomena of the kline
observable in connection with earth
quakes, are not affections of the sea, bu
Of the land.
Professor Thurston says when 4 droI
of oil is placed upon the surface Of watei
it first rapidly spreads in all directions,
! forming film Of exceeding tenuity, and
affecting the waves a. il sheet or carpet
of thin, flexible. elastic, and vet tenacious
substance, ike rubber, had been spread
over the waves.
The healiDg-sprincs of Bosnia and
rHerzegovina seemef destined to occupy
prominent place among the health re
sorts Of the world Professor Ludwig
OF Vienna, in the course Of ar official
journey recently. discovered over fifty
medicinal springs. The best are those at
Banjaiuka, Serajewo, and Dolnja Tuzla.
The Investigations of Haberlandt show
that the poisoning by nettles and allied
plants IS not due to the presence in the
needless of fornic acid. as has here
tofore been supposed, bnt TO the pres
Fence of an unorganizcd fermcnt. The
substance IS albuminous, and, when
coagulated, losing its power Of produc-
ling irritation.
I. 1t is said that the more rapid de
serioration of much of the iron of late
make arises from the fact that it con
tains more impurities thin formerly
Tho common iron Of today is filed
q,
when rusted or worn. Fifty years ago
the iron made in the United States was
largely charcoal iron, and was much
s5rer and better than the same grades
: .ade at the present day.
Fhe method of vultures in finding
z ta>c5seen By their habits of distrib
ntN<g themselves like sentinels over wide
tracts of country. Their keen eyes, rs
they circle over miles of territory, scan
every object, te'cgraphing to the adioin-
ing sentinel, many miles away, the dis
co cry Of prey. In this way, during the
Crimean war, it is slid that the vultures
of Northern africa floeked in scores
around the oontending amies, coming
from thousands of miles
Mr.. ]. Mcneil, OF Indiana University,
mentions long horned beetle which
lived no less than nineteen years, and
probably more than twenty, in an ash
door sill Two similar cases OF remark
able longevity in beetles are recorded by
Packard. A specimen of the common
pine-borer lived more than fifteen years
in pine bureau; and three beetles came
from an apple tree table, the first after a
residence therein of twenty years aud the
last of twenty-eight years.
The coutagiousne=s of lcprosy, says
ScieHec. has for long time been mooted
question The Royal College of Physi-
clans, in order to obtiin the best informa-
ton on this subject. sent inquiries TO
physicians throughout the world, whose
practice had brought them in contact
with the disease, and whose opinions
would therefore be of value Thirteen
of these have no doubt of its contagious
ness, and thirty -four entertain no doubt
of its non contagiousness. Twelve re-
girded leprosy and syphilis as being in
timately related; twenty-one believed
there was nc relation. Most of those to
whom the inquiries were sent regard lep-
rosy as hereditary. and also that it may
originate spontaneously under suitable
conditions.